Review by Steve Bennett

Des Bishop wanted to live like common people, wanted to do whatever common people do. So he took a series of horrible jobs on Ireland's minimum wage to experience first-hand how difficult it was to cope with the monotonous work and live on the meagre salary.

Unlike most low-paid workers, though, this smart stand-up got to make a documentary about his experiences, and had a nice Dublin flat to go home to after the ordeal was over. If only a real burger-flipper had had the gumption to strike a TV deal first

This powerful live show draws on the same material, describing his thankless, soul-destroying, back-breaking work behind the fast food counter at Abrakebabra, stacking supermarket shelves, cleaning a hotel or working at a swimming pool with theme park pretensions.

It the sort of relentless graft that provides plenty to get angry about, giving real fire to Bishop's rants. A month of serving unhappy meals to drunk, aggressive people who spout racist comments to his immigrant colleagues is enough to wind anybody up.

This is not solely a tirade against corporate greed, but also the demeaning way those on the bottom rung of the service industry ladder are treated by ignorant customers. A key message is simply to treat people with respect, and think twice before moaning to the guy mopping the floor rather the bosses really responsible. After all, chances are the staff hate the company much more than any customer.

None of Bishop's employers are huge multinationals, but he complains that owners of small and medium-sized businesses are equally responsible for exploiting staff, most of whom are, of course, immigrants. This adds further food for thought to Bishop's skilfully delivered material, especially for those who believe anyone who comes into the country is out to steal 'our' jobs.

To an arts festival crowd, he may be preaching to the converted ­ or, at least, he flatters us into believing that's the case ­ compared to the wider audience reached by television.

But as a stand-up show it still a revealing, fascinating, guilt-inducing glimpse into a life most people who can afford £10 a ticket do not experience; the relentless tedium not only of the unchallenging graft, but also never having enough money to do anything but stare at the passing traffic. For Bishop, the experience had a timeframe, for those stuck in this miserable netherworld, there is often no end.

Review date: 1 Jan 2004
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett